The Future He Imagined
by laceration
Summary: Sonic imagines the future that could've been, as he recounts his and Shadow's battle against the Prototype of the Ultimate Life.


At first Sonic had been skeptical when Shadow said he'd fight against the Biolizard. The black hedgehog unlike anything he'd faced before—more cunning than Eggman and unpredictable. If Shadow had decided to turn against them while he'd been helping Knuckles with the Master Emerald, Sonic wasn't so sure he'd have been able to fight him off and stop the Ark at the same time from crashing into Earth. Especially not after finding out they were capable of going Super.

But needless to say… they didn't do at all what he'd expected. Their loyalties having switched to helping them for good, when they'd returned from having weakened their Prototype. After that, well… as ashamed as he was to admit it—his focus hadn't been entirely on the battle.

A light feeling having replaced the heaviness he'd felt only moments before as Shadow fought alongside him. The feeling different somehow compared to when he fought by Knuckles or even Tails.

Fighting alongside the black hedgehog seemed to have made him soar, and whether that was from the adrenaline because of what was at stake, or the idea of not having to go against the final hazard alone—Sonic didn't know. All he knew was that he wanted the other there once they were done. A confidence having swelled within him for not only their chance at saving the world, but also at the thought of Shadow joining them afterwards.

He recalled a giddiness having taken hold then, as he poured his all into using chaos control with the other. The blinding light having engulfed him in its warmth, despite the vacuum of space outside it.

He could forgive Shadow. The other had been misguided—consumed by their pain. Realizing their wrongs and risking their life for all of Earth more than made up for it. And as hard as it'd been to admit… him and Shadow were more alike than he'd thought.

It's why he had wanted to help the other and have them continue to fight by his side—giving their life a new purpose against what they'd been created for.

Then a question had popped into his mind.

What would life with Shadow be like anyways?

He'd never been one for imagination, yet in that moment, Sonic remembered having pictured everything with ease. How he'd properly introduce Shadow to everyone, show him around the city—give him all it had to offer.

No more late nights spent running alone, the two of them sat on a rooftop eating chilli dogs while watching the streets below—Eggman sent packing by the both of them. Stupid banters and how easy it'd be to tease the other for their naivety of the world because of how much it'd changed. Adventures never ending with their constant competing.

He'd show Shadow it's possible to move on and make new friends. And maybe, if the other ever decided to… Sonic would listen to them tell everything. The Ark, his creation, Maria—everything. He'd listen.

Back then he couldn't put a name to the feeling—the warmth he'd felt with those thoughts—but it had been as if his chest were about to burst. From Joy? Excitement? Even now he couldn't quite find the word.

He remembered grinning wide, turning to where Shadow had been—recalled the way the light had dispersed—his hope for the future barely contained as the Ark appeared back where it'd fallen from. How everyone would've been cheering and how he would've been the first to thank Shadow, having resisted the urge well to tease that he'd been the better of the two.

It hurt. It all hurt to look back on… how he had called the other's name, silence being the only answer.

How he had called again—nothingness starting to laugh in his face.

"The feeling of his stomach drop.

"Shadow?"

How panic had settled in as he'd whipped his head around, disorientated by the starry black. How he'd screamed until his throat went raw—the void offering him nothing. He'd never forget the cold that'd consumed him after that. His eyes having settled on the blue serene planet below, made uncanny then in his realization as something gold sparkled from out the corner of his eye.

It had been a lone ring floating not far from him. At first he didn't want to touch it—not wanting to believe—but the closer it had drawn, the more he'd outstretched his hand, grasping onto it as if it were about to be stolen. Then… curling in on himself… his denial had broke.

Shadow was gone. Obliterated or sent plummeting toward the Earth, unconscious from the exertion of using a chaos control that size.

Could he have saved the other? If he'd kept a closer eye on them, maybe. But if they'd still been falling…?

Even then he'd known his super form was at its limit. By the time he'd have reached Shadow, it would have worn off, sending the both of them plummeting to their death. And while Sonic knew there'd have been no sense in the both of them dying… he couldn't help but feel like he should've died that day too. The black hedgehog having bared the front of their attack, willingly sacrificing themself for the world. A realization the hero had come to all too late and refused to have go in vain, despite the selfishness that had consumed him then.

His recollection of what happened afterwards was sparse.

The drift back to the Ark, reverting to normal—meeting up with the others in a daze. How he'd begrudgingly handed over the ring, pushing down any stronger feelings he had. Being positive for the other's sake was something he'd learned to do long ago… but in an instant, no one cared. Everyone except Rouge, seeming to have moved on without him. Did they all really care for Shadow that little…?

He remembered something having clenched in his chest. The others filing out, leaving him the last to leave the room. The lights switching off, with the planet below illuminating it in its cool blue. He'd said his good-byes. Recalled an ache as he left, not wanting to leave Shadow behind. His reluctance to board their ship and … he couldn't remember what happened after that. The weeks after like a fever dream, barely having registered. All he knew was Earth had felt strange once he'd returned with the insight he'd gained on its flaws. G.U.N. and the many other militant agencies like it—out creating similar experiences for others, like what'd happened to Shadow.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

And while he no longer mentioned the black hedgehog… he thought of them often. In the form of nightmares and memories—to even catching himself at times fantasizing of their return. The idea of it eating away at him and all their could've been's.

Yes, time would heal his wounds… but Sonic knew, that after what they'd been through… he'd never forget Shadow the Hedgehog.


End file.
